Model Answers

CHAPTER 15 SEXUAL REPRODUCTION, Sperms have a head, Ovum is spherical.

DEVELOPMENT AND middle part and tail.
GROWTH IN HUMANS AND After meiosis I, two After meiosis I, a
ANIMALS secondary spermatids secondary oocyte and a
are produced. polar body are formed.
Formative Practice 15.1 Spermatids undergo Secondary oocytes
differentiation to do not undergo
1 Testis, seminiferous tubules, epididymis, vas become sperms. differentiation.
deferens, seminal vesicle, prostate gland, penis
The formation of Ovum formation is
2 The function of seminal vesicle is to secret sperms is continuous, not a continuous
nutritious fluid for sperms. Scrotum functions to hold beginning from process. It begins in
and protect the testis. puberty until old age the female foetus and
3 Ovary, Fallopian tube, uterus, cervix, vagina stops when a baby is
born. The process is
4 The Fallopian tube functions to connect the ovary continued only after
and uterus, and provides a place for fertilisation. puberty is reached until
The function of the uterus is to supply nutrients and menopause.
oxygen to the embryo.
Millions of sperms are Only one ovum is
Formative Practice 15.2 produced each time released from the ovary
at any time. in each menstrual
1 Gametogenesis produces haploid gametes, cycle.
that is, gametes that contain half the number
of chromosomes of the parent cells. When the Formative Practice 15.3
male and female gamete fuse, the new individual
will have the same number of chromosomes as 1
the parent cell (diploid). If gametogenesis does FSH • Stimulates oestrogen
not occur, no gametes will be produced. Hence, secretion
fertilisation does not occur. No zygotes will be • Stimulates follicle
produced and consequently this leads to the development in the ovary
extinction of the particular species.
LH • Causes ovulation
2 (any three differences) • Causes the formation of
Spermatogenesis Oogenesis
corpus luteum

Occurs in the male Occurs in the female

Oestrogen • Recovers and repairs
testis. ovary. endometrial tissues and
stimulates the thickening of
Spermatogonium Oogonium (diploid) only endometrium
(diploid) produces yields one functional • Stimulates follicle
four sperms (haploid) secondary oocyte cell development up to maturity
after meiosis. (haploid) and three • Stimulates secretion
non-functional polar of FSH and LH before
bodies after meiosis. ovulation

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Progesterone • Stimulates the thickening
of the endometrial wall
by making it thicker,
folded and rich with blood
vessels in preparation for
implantation of embryo.
• Impedes the secretion of
FSH and LH in order to
block follicle development
and prevent ovulation
3 The placenta functions as an endocrine organ
that secretes progesterone and oestrogen. It also
serves as the site for material exchange between
foetus and mother.
4 The placenta is formed from the mother’s
endometrial tissue and embryonic tissue that allows
materials to diffuse across it. If there’s a mixture of
foetus’ and mother’s blood, agglutination may occur
if the mother’s blood group is different from that of
the foetus.

2 During pregnancy, progesterone prevents uterus Formative Practice 15.5

contraction and new follicle development as well as
induces the enlargement of internal structures such
as the ureter and uterus in preparation for carrying
a baby to term.
3 Corpus luteum degenerates, causing progesterone
and oestrogen to stop secreting. Without the
stimulation of progesterone and oestrogen, the
endometrial wall collapses and menstruation takes
place.
4 • Intake of a balanced diet
• Frequent exercise
• Positive attitude
• Get enough sleep
• Always active
Formative Practice 15.4
1 The process of early embryonic development
• The zygote divides many times by mitosis.
• The zygote forms a solid ball of cells called
morula.
• Morula forms a hollow sphere known as
blastocyst.
• Blastocyst then develops into an embryo.
2 The main function of HCG is to ensure that the
corpus luteum continues to function, that is, to
produce oestrogen and progesterone in the early
stages of pregnancy.
1 • T
 he genetic constitution and physical
characteristics of identical twins are similar
whereas for fraternal twins, they are different.
• The sex of identical twins is the same but may be
different for fraternal twins.
2 The physical part of Siamese twins is still joined
together, usually at the chest, abdomen or pelvis
(buttocks). They may also share one or two internal
organs.
Formative Practice 15.6
• Hormone imbalance
• Sex organ deformed or infected
• Health issues such as cardiovascular diseases or
diabetes
• Immune system
Formative Practice 15.7
1 Animal growth can be measured by measuring
changes in size, volume, dry mass or wet mass.
2 In complete metamorphosis, organisms undergo
four stages of growth that is, egg, larva, pupa and
adult. In incomplete metamorphosis, organisms
undergo several stages of ecdysis before becoming
an adult.
3 • Fastest growth rate.
• Active cellular division and elongation
• Organism’s size increases rapidly

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 4 Insects need to undergo ecdysis, that is, the
shedding of the external skeleton to allow growth
and development.
Summative Practice 15
1 Imbalance of the oestrogen and progesterone
levels
2 Identical twins are formed when a fertilised ovum
divides to form two zygotes whereas fraternal twins
are produced when two simultaneously released
ova are fertilised by two separate sperms to form
two zygotes.
3 • T
 o protect the fine blood vessels of the foetus
from bursting due to the high blood pressure of
the mother
• To prevent the mother’s and foetus blood from
mixing which may cause agglutination.
4 (a) Both grew up in different conditions. Therefore,
their food intake was different and both carried
out different daily activities.
(b) • C
 hemicals such as nicotine and carbon
monoxide diffuse across the placenta into
the foetus.
• Nicotine may affect foetus growth.
• Carbon monoxide competes with oxygen to
combine with haemoglobin.
• This reduces the oxygen content received
by the foetus and may cause miscarriage.
5 The zygote divides repeatedly by mitosis. This
cellular division produces a ball of cells, but the cell
size is retained at this stage. Further development
produces a solid ball of cells called morula. Then
the morula will form a blastocyst, a hollow sphere
consisting of cells. After a few days, the blastocyst
will implant itself on the endometrium (uterine
wall) of the mother. This is where the blastocyst
continues its development as an embryo. After two
months, the embryo is called foetus with most body
parts identifiable. The foetus is known as a baby
after birth.
DLP_Biology F4_Answers_Chap 15_2PP.indd 3
6 • Level of FSH is low (in the blood).
• No development of follicle and Graafian follicle is
not formed.
• Less oestrogen secreted (by ovary).
• Pituitary (gland) is not / less stimulated to secrete
(enough) LH.
• No ovulation.
7 (a) Hormone X (FSH) stimulates new follicle
development. The lack of hormone X causes
no new follicles to be developed.
(b) Hormone P (oestrogen) restores and repairs
the endometrial tissue and stimulates
endometrial thickening. Hormone P also
causes more hormone Y (LH) to be secreted.
The imbalance between these two hormones
leads to no ovulation and no thickening of
endometrial tissue.
(c) (i) Structure T is corpus luteum that secretes
hormone P (oestrogen) and hormone Q
(progesterone). From day 16 to 24, corpus
luteum secretes hormone P (oestrogen)
and Q (progesterone).
(ii) On approaching day 24, structure T
(corpus luteum) degenerates. Therefore,
from day 24 to 28, hormone P (oestrogen)
and hormone Q (progesterone) become
lesser.
8 (a) P – placenta
Q – umbilical cord
(b) • T
 he veins in the umbilical cord transport
oxygen and nutrient-rich blood from the
mother to the foetus.
• The arteries in the umbilical cord transport
blood rich in CO2 and nitrogenous waste
materials such as urea from the foetus to
the mother to be expelled.
(c) Placenta is the site for the exchange of
materials between the foetus and the mother.
Nutrients, hormones, antibodies and oxygen
diffuse from the mother’s blood into the foetus.
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 On the contrary, carbon dioxide and waste
materials such as urea, diffuse from the
foetus’ blood to the mother’s. Placenta also
replaces the corpus luteum that degenerates
during the 4th month of pregnancy to produce
progesterone and oestrogen. Both hormones
are needed to maintain the thickness of the
endometrium throughout pregnancy.
(d) (i) Natural passive immunity
(ii) Through P, antibodies diffuse from
the mother to the foetus. When the
antibodies enter the foetus’ bloodstream,
the antibodies will act against pathogen.
This provide immunity to the foetus and
prevents disease infection.
Essay Questions
9 • S
 ince the role of hormone X is similar to hormone
LH, hormone X is able to stimulate follicle
development together with FSH that stimulates
ovulation. Therefore, the woman has a possibility
of becoming pregnant.
• Ovum is fertilised by sperm to form a zygote.
• After ovulation, the Graafian follicle forms a
corpus luteum.
• Corpus luteum is stimulated to secrete
progesterone and oestrogen.
• Progesterone and oestrogen stimulate the
endometrial tissue to become thick, folded and
rich with blood capillaries as a preparation for
zygote implantation.
10 (a) The testis contains seminiferous tubules that
consists of primordial germ cells. Primordial
germ cells undergo a series of mitotic divisions
to produce many diploid spermatogonia.
Spermatogonia grow into primary
spermatocytes. Each primary spermatocyte
then divides by meiosis I to produce a pair of
secondary spermatocytes which are haploid.
Each pair of secondary spermatocytes will
divide by meiosis II to produce four haploid
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spermatids. Finally, spermatids differentiate to
become sperms.
(b) (i) R: Siamese twins: Identical twins
Similarities:
• An ovum is fertilised by a sperm to form
a zygote.
• Both twins have the same genetic
constitution.
• Both twins are of the same sex, that is,
both are either boys or girls.
Differences:
• For twins S, blastocyst divides
completely into two, but in twins R,
complete division did not occur.
• Twins S are separated from each other
fully, but twins R are attached at certain
parts of the body.
Enrichment
11 To fertilise an ovum, the protective layer outside
the ovum must be digested by the enzyme found in
the sperm acrosome. Therefore, one sperm is not
enough to digest the protective layer. The presence
of many sperms is sufficient to digest the protective
layer to enable one sperm to fertilise the ovum.
12 For an individual with a 28-day menstrual cycle,
the changes in the levels of various hormones in
preparation of conception is shown below.
• From day 0 to 7, right after menstruation, the
pituitary gland is stimulated to secrete follicle
stimulating hormone (FSH).
• FSH causes one or more Graafian follicle to
develop in the ovary.
• FSH stimulates follicle cells to secrete oestrogen.
• From day 8 to 14, the concentration of oestrogen
increases and reaches its maximum level on
day 12.
• Oestrogen acts to restore and repair the
endometrial tissue.
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 • Oestrogen also stimulates the pituitary gland to
secrete luteinising hormone (LH).
• LH stimulates ovulation on day 14.
• From day 15 to 21, the Graafian follicle that
develops into a corpus luteum will be stimulated
by LH to secrete progesterone.
• The rising progesterone level stimulates the
endometrium to expand, become thicker and
more vascular.
• From day 22 to 28, if fertilisation occurs, the
progesterone level will continue rising to ensure
further uterine development.
DLP_Biology F4_Answers_Chap 15_2PP.indd 5
• Progesterone inhibits FSH and LH production,
hence the menstrual cycle and ovulation does
not take place in a woman who is pregnant. This
will prevent the development of other follicles in
the ovary during pregnancy.
13 The stem cells of the umbilical cord have the
potential to be turned into various types of cells.
Therefore, umbilical cord stem cells can be used to
treat various life-threatening diseases such as heart
attack and stroke. Stem cell bank is one way of
keeping umbilical cord blood so that the concerned
individual can get their own stem cell for cellular
therapy in the future.
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